Only Time
by Bella5
Summary: *Revised* Before he goes to fight the final battle, Harry Potter finally confesses his love to Ginny. But will it be the last time she sees him? Please read, and it does have a sequal called The Power of Love. Don't forget to review!


Only Time  
  
"Virginia Katherine Weasley!"  
  
Ginny stepped forward from the line of her fellow seventh years and walked up the raised platform, where Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall were standing. She couldn't help but notice that she was getting the loudest applause of all the graduates yet.  
  
But that could be because her family consisted of eight people. And that's not including her in law's.  
  
She shook Dumbledore's hand; then accepted her diploma from Professor McGonagall and shook her hand as well. Her family was not hard to place, as all of her brothers and her parents had fiery red hair. She searched in that direction, looking for someone. It had become a habit of hers, even since she first met him. Searching for that mop of messy, jet black hair. She knew it was a futile attempt though, there was no way he would be there. Ginny forced a painful smile in their direction.  
  
After Michael Berkley Zuchanon had received his diploma, Dumbledore stood up and spread his arms wide with a sad expression on his face. Even the sparkle was gone from his piercing blue eyes.  
  
"I present to you, ladies and gentlemen, the graduating class of 1999." He gave a sad smile here. "Let us take a moment to remember those who should be graduating this year, but are not because they sacrificed their lives to save Hogwarts in the battle that took place here, one year ago." A dead silence filled the room as Dumbledore named all of those killed in the 'final battle' as everyone called it. When he came to Colin Creevey and Holly Mason, two of Ginny's best friend's, she choked back a sob and grabbed onto her other two friend's, David Newton and Megan Ross.  
  
When he was finished, Ginny walked off the stage and was immediately whisked away by her sobbing mother and tearful father.  
  
"I'm proud of you, cupcake," Her father, Arthur Weasley, ruffled her hair affectionately and smiled.  
  
Ginny then turned to her mother and was hugged so tightly, she was having a hard time breathing. Finally her mother, incapable of words, released her from her death grip, still sobbing hysterically.  
  
Seeing that Ginny was free, Hermione, Ron's fiancé, rushed forward and enveloped her in a large hug, followed directly by Ron.  
  
"Great job, Gin," he said with a sad smile.  
  
"Now, Ronnikins, don't hog our dear younger sister all to yourself!" Fred Weasley grabbed Ginny from Ron by her arm. George, his mirror image, grabbed her other arm and they began mock fighting loudly over who got to hug her first, in an attempt to lighten the mood. Finally, Ginny was able to free herself and hugged them both tightly, but pulled away quickly so they wouldn't be able to turn her hair a different color or something like that. Her twin brother's were widely known for playing tricks and practical jokes. When they graduated Hogwarts, they started the joke shop they had been threatening to open since before Ginny could remember. Their shop, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, was a hit among the students at Hogwarts immediately. Fred and George even bought out Zonko's the previous year. Ginny then hugged Angelina, Fred's wife, rather awkwardly, considering she was six months pregnant.  
  
Ginny hugged Bill and then Charlie, his wife Ali, and their twin daughters Laurie and Miranda, who had just turned three the week before.  
  
Finally she embraced Percy, who had just entered his first year as Minister of Magic. Money was no longer a problem for the Weasley family, what with Fred and George's joke shop and Percy's job. After Percy she hugged his wife, Penelope, who was six months pregnant as well, and their two-year-old daughter Caitlin.  
  
"Alright, did I miss anyone?" Ginny called out to her family. There was unenthusiastic laughter, and some rather forced smiles, and Ginny's own smile faded. She smacked herself mentally for that comment, because everyone knew she did miss someone. A certain someone who was currently missing and believed to be dead.  
  
After defeating Lord Voldemort, Harry Potter mysteriously disappeared. Most people believed that the incredibly powerful magical surge Harry had when he killed Voldemort had killed him as well, but no one knew for sure, as no body was found. Ginny pushed the thoughts from her head, unwilling to relive that horrible night when her life came crashing down.  
  
"I'm sorry," she said quietly to Ron and Hermione, who affected the worst by Harry's disappearance. But it wasn't like Ginny didn't feel anything either. Far from it, actually.  
  
Hermione's great, cinnamon colored eyes filled with tears and she angrily brushed them away. "No, it's alright, Ginny, I understand, it just-just slipped out..." She put her head in her hands and Ron pulled her to his chest. The rest of the family stood stock-still, every one of them, except Caitlin, Laurie, and Miranda, who were too young to understand.  
  
"Come, now, lets be going, I've got lunch at home..." Mrs. Weasley pulled out a bag of Floo Powder and lit the great fireplace with a wave of her wand, wiping her streaming.  
  
~*~*~*~*  
  
After hours of restless tossing and turning that night, Ginny dropped off into a deep sleep around three o'clock, and fell into a dream, the dream that had plagued her unconscious mind for a year, and she relived that fateful night again.  
  
_~*Dream Sequence*~  
  
"All Prefects are to retrieve their group members and escort them to your safe rooms, immediately!" Professor McGonagall's desperate voice rang across the entire school. Ginny jumped up from her circular table in the library with her friends - Colin Creevey, Megan Ross, David Newton, and Holly Mason. They were all sixth-year Gryffindor prefects, and had been drilled on this many times. Somehow they knew this wasn't a drill; it was the real thing. They knew exactly where to go and what to do. Ginny, not even bothering with her books, rushed out of the library and to the classrooms where her group members were. There were a total of twenty-five in her group; all different houses ranging from first to fifth years.  
  
The sixth and seventh year prefects had been having regular dark arts defense class, but it was much more advanced than the normal classes. Ginny hurried her scared looking group down the corridors, more wary than she had ever been, clutching her wand with white-knuckled hands.  
  
"Ginny!" _

_Ginny turned around and spotted Harry, who was rushing forward with a determined expression on his face. Ginny knew what was coming; she and Harry had had many discussions and fights about what would happen when Voldemort attacked Hogwarts. But, no matter how many tears she shed and how many pleas she made, Harry was adamant in going and fighting Voldemort for the last time.  
  
"No, Harry, please, please don't!" she begged, tears streaming down her cheeks. He embraced her tightly and she clung to him.  
  
"Ginny, look at me," Harry gently raised her chin so his green eyes, full of determination and some other emotion that Ginny couldn't read, bore into hers. "I'll be back. I promise. I'll do it for you. You've been my rock, my support through these hard times when Ron and Hermione were…busy," he gave her a small smile here, "and I'll fight with every fiber of my being to get back to you. You're my best friend, Gin. D'you think I would just leave you?"  
  
"No, but Harry, please-" Overcome with emotion, Ginny wasn't able to finish her sentence. She gave an almighty sob and hugged Harry tightly. "I love you," she whispered, barely audibly into his shirt that was soaked with her tears.  
  
"Gin, I love you too." Harry whispered. Ginny looked up, daring to believe what she had heard. She was drowning in his eyes, and she now recognized the emotion: Love. For her, Ginny Weasley, who had loved him since she met him, and now, her dreams were coming true. He loved her back.  
  
Time seemed to stop as he brought his soft lips down on hers and gave her the sweetest, most tender kiss she had ever received, and they both knew in that instant that they were meant to be together and no one else would suffice. With great reluctance, Harry broke the kiss and squeezed Ginny's hand.  
  
"I'll be back, I promise. I love you, Ginny - don't ever forget that, even if I don't make it back. I'll never be gone from you. It's only time. Always remember that." He brought Ginny's hand to his lips and kissed it gently.  
  
Ginny had torrents of water pouring from her eyes now, and again she begged him to stay, and again he refused, saying he had to. Harry let go of her hand regretfully and turned and walked away without a backward glance. Ginny's sobs racked her body; somehow she knew she wouldn't see him for a long time, if ever again. Her fifth year second in command, a Ravenclaw Prefect named Carrie, escorted the group to their safe room (the Prefect's Bathroom) and returned for Ginny. Ginny sank to the floor amidst all the chaos, looking very lost. Carrie gently helped her up and led her to the bathroom.  
  
After Ginny had calmed down a bit, an alarm sounded that signaled all of the sixth and seventh years to go and fight. Ginny was surprised; they were only going to sound that alarm in case things were really bad. She hugged Carrie tightly and set off through the winding passages. Ginny followed the sounds of yells and curses being thrown to the front lawn. Hermione and Ron were fighting bravely next to-Draco Malfoy?! Ginny did a double take. Yes, he was fighting alongside them!  
  
Suddenly, a curse was fired straight at her and she had no time to ponder about Malfoy after that. She had excelled in their defense classes, especially in blocking charms. For the next two hours, she fought alongside the Hogwarts students until all the Death Eaters, dementers, and some evil giants and goblins had been driven out. They watched, paralyzed with fear as Harry dueled with Voldemort.  
  
There was a blinding flash of light and Ginny put her hand over her face to shield her eyes from the flash. When she pulled her hand down, Voldemort's body was hovering in the air with an eerie red light surrounding him. Suddenly, he burst into flames and a second later, a pile of ashes was all that was left of the great Lord Voldemort.  
  
Ginny's immediate reaction was to cheer, until she realized she couldn't see Harry. She ran through the crowd to Hermione and Ron, a sick feeling deep in her stomach. They were as puzzled as she was. When it came apparent that Harry was not there, a wave of nausea washed over her.  
  
"Oh, God, please tell me he is okay! Harry! Harry!" Ginny fell to the ground sobbing. She heard a flump next to her and saw it was Hermione, but she paid no attention. "Please...please..."  
  
"Harry!" Ginny sat bolt upright in her bed, in a cold sweat, crying hard and shaking. She sobbed noisily, not caring who heard her. Sunlight was streaming through the windows of her tiny room in the Burrow.  
  
She heard thumping that signaled someone was coming up the stairs: Hermione.  
  
"Ginny!" Hermione exclaimed as she flung open the door and rushed to her friend. She held her while crying silently as well. Hermione knew that the nightmare that plagued her own dreams had haunted Ginny last night. "Shh, calm down, it's over...it's over..." Hermione soothed, tears still coursing down her own cheeks. Ginny said something inaudible. "What?" Hermione asked gently and pulled Ginny away from her.  
  
"He loved me," Ginny said, a bit more loudly.  
  
"Harry did?" asked Hermione, who was bewildered.  
  
"Yes," And Ginny told Hermione the entire story of what happened that night, and by the time she was finished, both girls were crying.  
  
__Who can say  
  
Where the road goes,  
  
Where the day flows?  
  
Only time  
  
"He loved me! It's not fair!" She sobbed.  
  
__And who can say if your love grows  
  
As your heart chose?  
  
Only time  
  
"It's just not fair!"  
  
__Who can say why your heart sighs  
  
As your love flies?  
  
Only time  
  
And who can say  
  
Why your heart cries when your love lies?  
  
Only time  
  
"Why, Hermione, why? Why did he have to leave me?" Ginny pleaded, and Hermione's heart went out to her. She supposed Ginny must feel like what she would feel like if Ron died. Hermione closed her eyes and tried to imagine the feeling of her life without her fiancé. It was nothing, her life would be nothing without Ron...  
  
_

_Who can say  
  
 When the roads meet  
  
That love might be  
  
In your heart?  
  
And who can say  
  
When the day sleeps  
  
If the night keeps  
  
All your heart?  
  
Night keeps all your heart  
  
Night keeps all your heart  
  
"And he promised, he promised! He promised me he would come back!" she gasped, looking at something only she could see. "But he didn't, he didn't…" .  
  
__Who can say if your love grows  
  
As your heart chose?  
  
Only time  
  
And who can say where the road goes,  
  
Where the day flows?  
  
Only time  
  
"Hermione, he told me only time could keep him away, that it was only time..."  
  
__Who knows? Only time  
  
Who knows? Only time  
  
  
Ginny dropped into an uneasy slumber and Hermione cast a spell on her that would give her a dreamless sleep. She didn't need any more dreams, not after what she had been through.  
  
Hermione thought about what Harry had said about only time. It didn't make sense, but she supposed that one day it would.  
  
Maybe.  
  
  
_


End file.
